DUEL focuses on enhancing both technical expertise and leadership capabilities, empowering participants to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and navigate complex challenges. Whether you’re looking to grow within your current role or prepare for the next step in your career, DUEL offers invaluable resources and opportunities for professional development.

DUEL provides foundational competency for leaders that will influence organizational culture, improve performance, and contribute long-term success.

A successful leadership program will help position utility leaders for the rapid changes the utility industry is experiencing. It will also help build well-rounded leaders who can navigate —and even drive— rapid change and response.

MMUA's DUEL program has been designed to foster practical skills and cultivate the next generation of utility leadership. The lineup of courses will equip current and emerging leaders with the skills, knowledge, and networks they need to succeed in the ever-evolving environment of hometown utilities. With a municipal utilities focus, the program combines technical knowledge, real-world case studies, and peer collaboration to build a cohort of leaders capable of tackling the most pressing challenges.

FOUNDATIONAL COURSES
COHORT-BASED DEEP DIVES

All participants will take a series of in-person foundational courses across three two-day sessions. This format allows for extensive discussion of specialized content, experiential learning, and a chance to build relationships with a network of peers.

Course one
Leadership lens: your utility, your style, your path forward

Municipal utilities 101
Gain a foundational understanding of how municipal utilities operate, their role in serving communities, and their contributions to public infrastructure. This course covers the history and benefits of the municipal model and provides the groundwork for effectively telling the municipal utility story. 

Electric utilities landscape
Explore how electricity is generated, transmitted, and delivered in today’s energy markets. This course traces the evolution from traditional bilateral agreements to modern financial energy markets, with a focus on the Mid-Continent Independent System Operator (MISO), Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), and implications of the changing energy landscape 

Leading a municipal utility
Dive into the governance and regulatory frameworks that shape municipal utilities in Minnesota. Topics include ownership models, the roles of city councils and utility commissions, statutory requirements, transparency and data practices, and legal considerations. 

Leading strategically in the utility sector 
Learn the core elements of strategic leadership, including how to craft and communicate a compelling vision, align resources, and develop a strategic plan that drives organizational success in the utility sector. 

Leverating DISC® for effective leadership—an introduction 
Using the DiSC® assessment, participants will gain insight into their own behavioral style and learn how to recognize and adapt to the styles of others. This short module lays the foundation for using DiSC throughout the curriculum to build stronger, more effective teams. 

Course two
Building bridges: connecting plans, projects, and people

Gas utilities landscape
Gain a practical introduction to the structure, operations, and strategic considerations of municipal utilities and the natural gas markets—whether your community operates a gas utility or not. This course explores how gas utilities serve their communities, the regulatory and safety frameworks that guide their operations, the relationship between gas markets and electricity costs, and the evolving challenges and opportunities facing the sector. 

From peer to leader
Navigate the unique challenges of transitioning from colleague to leader. This course practical strategies for building credibility, maintaining positive relationships, and leading effectively using a mentor/coach framework. Participants will explore how to establish authority, set expectations, and cultivate a high-performing team. 

Leading with DISC
Leaders will continue to gain insight into their own behavioral tendencies and learn to recognize and adapt to the styles of others. Through a mix of theory and hands-on exercises, leaders will improve communication, strengthen team dynamics, and develop strategies for leading diverse personalities. 

Project management excellence in the utilities sector
Master project management essentials for the utility sector. Build skills in navigating resource, timeline, budget, quality, and risk management. Learn strategies for both small operational projects and large capital initiatives, adapting your approach to project scope and complexity. 

Course three
Thriving together: leadership for dynamic teams and evolving challenges

Municipal water utilities landscape
Explore the key elements that contribute to a strong culture, including values, behaviors, and practices that foster engagement and collaboration. Learn about the dynamics of effective teamwork that elevate the entire organization and drive results, then develop techniques to maximize them for your utility.

Data and analytics for municipal utilities 
This segment will equip leaders with the tools and strategies to drive change within the organization and overcome resistance to it. Learn to align teams with ever-evolving goals, manage push back, and implement sustainable solutions that enhance efficiency, service delivery, and community impact.

Teams, culture, and change
Leaders will apply their learnings to develop a strategic initiative aimed at improving operational efficiency, service delivery, or sustainability within their municipal utility. Each leader will identify a key challenge facing their utility and design a framework for a comprehensive solution that aligns with the utility's long-term objectives. Team presentations and peer solutions will round out this course.

Interactive capstone project 
Leaders will apply their learnings to develop a strategic initiative aimed at improving operational efficiency, service delivery, or sustainability within their municipal utility. Each leader will identify a key challenge facing their utility and design a framework for a comprehensive solution that aligns with the utility's long-term objectives. Team presentations and peer solutions will round out this course.

Elective Courses

The DUEL program features a wide variety of elective educational courses. Program participants will choose the eight courses that best fit their needs and interests. The classes will be offered virtually over the course of a year, and additional courses may be added as hot topics arise. All virtual courses will run 2 hours.

Bonding and financing tools for municipal utilities
This course will provide utility leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the financial tools and strategies available for funding infrastructure projects, managing debt, and ensuring long-term fiscal health. Explore the intricacies of municipal bonds, funding mechanisms, and financial management critical to the sustainability and growth of utility operations.

Building a strategic utility budget: managing resources for sustainable growth
This course will equip leaders with a comprehensive overview of how to create and manage a utility budget. We will cover the building blocks of budgeting, including important background work such as rate studies, salary surveys, and other benchmarking. The course will also cover estimating revenues and expenditures, the importance of financial policies, forecasting, and capital planning.

Collaborative leadership: working with councils and commissions
This course will examine the skills and strategies necessary for effectively engaging with local councils, commissions, and other governing bodies. Leaders will learn how to navigate the complex dynamics of municipal decision-making, build strong relationships with elected officials and commissioners, and advocate for policies that support the growth and sustainability of utility operations.

Crisis communication and media relations for utility leaders 

In today’s fast-paced media environment, utility leaders must be prepared to communicate clearly, confidently, and strategically—especially during crises. This course equips participants with the tools and techniques to manage public messaging, engage with media outlets, and maintain trust with stakeholders when the stakes are high. 

Crisis leadership in the utilities sector: navigating challenges and ensuring continuity
Learn the skills and strategies necessary to effectively respond to and manage a crisis. The course will help you build resilience and readiness, preparing you to navigate difficult challenges.

Critical thinking for effective decision making
This course will help you enhance your decision-making skills in both personal and professional contexts. Learn various decision-making techniques, improve critical thinking abilities, and develop tools to navigate complex decisions with more confidence.

Future-ready leadership: succession planning and cross-training associates
This course equips utility leaders with the tools and strategies to build a resilient leadership pipeline and ensure operational continuity through effective succession planning and cross-training. As the utility sector faces rapid change, aging infrastructure, and workforce transitions, preparing future-ready leaders is no longer optional—it’s essential. 

Mastering grant writing for utilities: securing funding for growth and innovation
This course will provide leaders with the essential skills and strategies to write successful grant proposals, from identifying funding sources to submitting well-crafted proposals that meet the needs and expectations of the funders.

Navigating the interview process: identifying talent with integrity and compliance
This course will equip new leaders with the skills necessary to conduct effective and legal interviews. Topics will focus on enhancing leadership capabilities in asking the right questions, assessing talent, making informed hiring decisions, and fostering a positive candidate experience.

Negotiation skills for utility leaders: collaboration and stakeholder engagement
Utility leaders are front and center when negotiation is needed. From daily work group discussions and interdepartmental problem-solving to more complex situations such as developing labor agreements, nailing down the terms of business contracts, and addressing service territory changes, successful negotiation with a diverse range of stakeholders is an essential part of your professional toolkit. This course will acquaint you with the basic negotiation skills needed to drive strategic outcomes, foster collaboration, and maintain positive relationships across all levels of utility engagement.

Regulatory knowledge and compliance in municipal utilities: navigating challenges for operational success
This course will provide leaders with the tools and resources needed to navigate the complex landscape of utility regulations. Learn how to interpret and apply regulations effectively, identify potential compliance risks, and implement best practices for maintaining compliance across all areas of operations.

Strategic risk management in the utilities sector: safeguarding operations and ensuring resilience
This course will equip utility leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to protect critical infrastructure from cyber threats and other areas of risk. Learn about the fundamentals of cybersecurity, the unique challenges faced by the grid, and strategies for safeguarding infrastructure and data.

Telling the municipal utilities story: crafting a compelling narrative for community engagement
Discover how to effectively communicate the value, challenges, and impact of municipal utility services to diverse audiences. Through a blend of storytelling techniques and strategic messaging, you will learn how to craft compelling narratives that highlight the essential role municipal utilities play in the community.

Understanding human resources basics and employment law
Gain practical insights into the foundational aspects of human resources, including the employee life cycle, while also diving into important employment laws including those addressing discrimination, workplace safety, labor rights, and compliance.

Participants completing the foundational cohort-based learning sessions and at least eight (8) elective courses will earn an MMUA utilities leadership certificate.

Upon completing DUEL and receiving a certificate, leaders will be eligible to continue their engagement in a facilitated peer group that will continue to be a support and resource long after the formal program ends.

Registration opening soon for next cohort!

Cohort 3 begins in spring 2026